Liquid-flow switch



Feb 10, 1931.

w. R. WALKER 1,791,945 LIQUID FLOW SWITCH Filed Nov. 25, L924 2 Sheets-$heet l SUPPLY BY w s ATTORNEY Feb, 10, 1931. w. R. WALKER L791,945

LIQUID FLOW SWITCH Filed Nov. 25, 1924 2. sheets Sheet 2 INVENTOR Patented Feb. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES Partial!'.' OFFICE WARREN R. WALKER, OF GREAT KILLS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC .VAPOR LAMP 00., OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, CORPORATION 01 NEW JERSEY LIQUID-FLOW SWITCH Application filed November 25, 1924. Serial No. 752,100.

I My'p'resent invention relates to switching apparatus, such as employed in electriosign systems, using electric switches ofthe liquid flow type which are adapted for making and v6 breaking a circuit with a predetermined interval of time between successive makes and breaks and a predetermined interval of time between successive breaks and makes. .This application is a continuance in part of my copending applications Serial Numbers 7 22,426

. zo'used in some cases, but these switches have required. auxiliary apparatus such as dash pots, additional switches, or at least additional contacts therein, for injecting a time lag or interval into one phase of the opera- 2 tion of the switch. It 1s a purpose of my present invention to provide switching mechanism utilizing a single switch of this type which by virtue of its construction and mounting will inherently operate with a time lag before both the make and the break operations.

A further object of my invention is to pro vide a suitable electric circuit embodying the switch of my invention and a load which is alternately and for predetermined lengths of time energized and deenergized.

In the drawings forming a part of this application; v

Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional View in elevation of a switch embodying m invention showing an electrode entering rom below into a chimney or cup having an opening therefrom which is intermediate of the top and bottom of the main body of the switch in a closed position thereof and a baflle electrode adapted to control the flow of mercury in the switch both into a circuit making position and into a circuit breaking position.

" a 2 is a sectionalview along line 2-2 Fig. 3 is a similar diagrammatic view showing the switch of Fig. 1 incorporated in a circuit including a solenoid adapted to operate the switch, said switch being shown in an intermediate position through which it rapidly passes a moment after said solenoid is deenergized.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the switch of my invention in a sign flash or load circuit comprising the switch operated solepoig connected in series with the switch and Fig. 5 is' a diagrammatic-view of a system similar to that of Fig. 4 but with a solenoid connected in parallel with theload.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic representation of the switch of Fig. 1 in a closed circuit position.

Fig. 7 is companion to Fig. 6 and shows the switch thereof immediately after being tilted into the circuit opening position.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to that of Fig. 7 showing the mercury immediately after circuit has been broken between the part of the main body of mercury and the mercury in the electrode containing cup.

Fig. 9 is a view of the switch in the closed circuit position of Fig. 6 substantially immediately after it has been moved thereinto from the complete open circuit position of -Figs. 7 and 8.

Fig. 10 is a variation of the apparatus of from the outside terminates in said cup below the edge of the opening thereof. Positioned near said cup 3 and extending substantially across the full cross section of the envelope 1 is thebafiie electrode 5 which connects with the lead 6 which enters said envelope 1 through a seal at one end thereof and extends longitudinally thereof to said baflie electrode 5. At the bottom said bafiie electrode 5 is formed a small opening or notch 7 in the form of a V which serves as a restricted passageway for said mercury 52 from a closed circuit position into an open circuit position thereof and vice versa. At the'top of said baffle electrode the opening 8 therethrough allows the passage of gas from one part of the switch to another to equalize the effect of the flow of mercury from one position to another. The baflie electrode 5 extending across the switch chamber divides it into two sub-chambers in one of which, 9, is positioned said cup 3. The size of sub-chamber 9 is determined by the time limits in which the switch can be fnade to operate inthe closed circuit position after it has been tilted therefrom into a corresponding open circuit position, that is, it is determined by the amount of mercury which in said open circuit position can be held in said chamber 9 back of said bafiie electrode 5 while said mercury is flowing through said open-- ing 7 to a level below the lower limit of the edge of said cup 3 when the circuit through the switch will of coursebe disconnected at this point. In predetermining the size of said chamber 9 the height of said ciip 3 and the size of openin s 7 and 8 must of course be considered' he size of the other sub-chamber 10, is determined by the amount of mercury whichit is required to hold in the open circuit position of the switch.

InFig. 3 is shown the switch of Fig. 1 mounted on a panel 11 which is movable about a pivot 12 near one end thereof. The arm 13 connects the panel 11 to the armature 14 of solenoid 15 through a slotted pivot joint 16. Said switch 1 and solenoid 15 are connected in series to current supply mains 17 and 18. The pivot. 12 and armature and sole noid 14 and 15 are positioned-with respect to said switch 1 and panel 11 so that said solenoid upon energization through said mains 17 and 18 will actuate said switch to move it into the open circuit position, and so that the weight of said switch 1 and panel 11 will act to move the switch into a closedcircuit position.

The solenoid 15 depending upon the load, source of supply, and other operative conditions is connected in circuit either in parallel or in series with said load. In Fig. 4 the sole noid 15 is shown as being connected in series with load 19. In Fig. 5 the solenoid 15 is .shown connected in parallel with load 19.

In the operation of the switch of my invention, to secure a delay in'the making of the circuit therethrough from the timeit is moved into a circuit making position and to secure the delay in the breaking of a circuit" therethrou h when it is moved into an open circuit posltion the following phases of operation are gone through.

Referring to Figs. 6 7 8 and 9, the switch; being in a closed ClICIIIhPOSltlOIl as in Fig. 6 and the mercury 2 therein forming a continm;

ous bod and connecting said electrode 4 to said be e electrode 5 to secure a delayed opening of the circuit through the switch, it

is moved, for example, into the position shown. in Fig. 7 in which the main body of.

the mercury is divided into two bodies oneof which 2' is within said cup 3 and the other part 2 is without the limits thereof as'shownin Fig. 8. The said body 2 will of course attain its equilibrium entirely within said subchamber 10. In securing an establishment of current path through the. switch at a predetermined interval after the switch is moved from an open circuit position to a closed cir-- cuit position the switch is moved from the position with the mercury as shown in Fig. 8 into the position shown in'Fig. 9, in which the main body of mercury 2 is banked up in said sub-chamber 10 back of bafile 5 from where it flows through said restricted open- ;ing 7 into sub-chamber 9 where upon attaining a. level above the lower limit of the edge ofsaid cup 3 and communicating with the mercury 2 in said cup a circuit path is estab-' lished through the switch, equilibrium of mercury in said position being shown in Fig. 6.

. In the o erationof the switch in the circuit shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 and starting from the open circuit position, the weight of the switch and panel will cause the switch to be moved to the closed position thereof as shown in Fig. 9 in which positionthe mercury will through a predetermined period of time flow from the circuit breaking position to a circuit making level. as indicated in Fig. 6. Upon the establishment of a circuit through the switch energization of solenoid 15 and load 19 by-current supplied from mains 17 and 18 takesplace. Upon energization of said solenoid 15 the armature 14 is moved, causing the switch and panel to move together 'through the position shown in Fig. 3, and to come to rest with the switch in the position "shown in Fig. 7. In this new position a considerable portion of the mercury in said switch 1 is confined in sub-chamber a back of bafie electrode 5, from where it will flow through a predetermined period of time through said restricted opening 7, disconnecting the circuitthrough the switch when the nercury level falls below the lower limit of switch through its weight and that ofthe panel 11 and other parts connected thereto will again move into ithe circuit closing position whereby a c cle of the switch operation is completed which cycle will continue in this form of my invention as long as current is supplied through mains 17 and 18. As disclosed in In said Patent 1,638,130, the electrodes 3 an 5 will be protected from any arcing which may occur in the making or breaking of circuit through the switch by the mercury bodies 2 and 2, between which said making and breaking occurs. The material of the envelope of the switch 1 will be protected from such arcing by the position away from said envelopeof therim of said cup 3 which rim, as disclosed in said 00- ending applications, is itself protected by eing made of material which is resistant to temperatures upon such arcing.

The switch envelope is when desired provided with an atmosphere of gas such as hydrogen and nitrogen which serves to quench any such arcing and to conduct heat resulting therefrom rapidly from the interior to the exterior of the switch. y

While I have shown and described the battle 5 as being of metal, it is to'be understood that where desired the bafile 5 is made of insulating material such as fused silica, porcelain, hard glass, etc., and mounted on the lead wire 6 in such a way that the said lead wire connects with the mercury on the appropriate side of said bafile 5 essential to the proper functioning of the switch, or said baflle 5 may be mounted on the wall of the container andthe lead wire 6 connecting with the mercury in any well known manner.

Furthermore, the described barrier efl'ect obtained with the bafile 5 is obtained in another embodiment, useful in the arts generalof the cup to secure the desired time interval before make and break of the circuit through the switch, the usual gas by-pass for the con striction between the chambers being provided where necessary.

p In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3, the armature 1a is of the balanced type and extends through the coil 15 so that when it IS energized it moves the switch panel 11 about the pivot 12. j

Inthose cases where minimum energy in the operating solenoid is desirable I prefer to pivot the panel adjacent to the bar 13 and reverse the switch 1 on said panel and mount the solenoid as shown. In this arrangement the moving system is so balanced about the pivot 12 that small amounts onl of electrieal'energi' are re uired to move t e armature 1 weight of the switch 1 and panel 11 overbalancing the armature 14 and arm 13 about said pivot 12, the switchand panel will drop whereby the switch attains the closed circuit position as shown in Figs. 9 and 6. The mercury 2 will then during a predetermined length of time flow from the open circuit position into the closed circuit position whereby said solenoid 15 and load '19 are energized. The solenoid 15 being energized armature 14 is pulled down and the switch 1 on its panel 11 will be tilted up into the circuit opening position as indicated in Fig. 7 in which position the mercury will flow from chamber 9 into chamber 10 to thereby break the circuit between electrodes 4 and 6 as indicated in Fig. 8; The circuit then being broken and the solenoid 15 deenergized the weight of the switch'l' and panel 11 will a ain cause the switch to tip about said pivot 12 into the circuit closing position thereof, in which position the'circuit will again be closed by the flowing mercury and the cycle of opening and closing be completed. The alternate opening and closing of the switch in successive cycles in the manner above described will continue as long as leads 17 and 18 are properly energized.

When desired, I employ for moving the switch in the apparatus of Fig. 3 or Fig. 10

11 for the purpose of overcoming the weight of the armature 14 in the operation of the switch in the movement opposite that caused by the-actuation of said armature 14 by said solenoid l5. I claim:

1. In a switching apparatus, a single circuit time delay switch of the liquid flow type.

pivoted-to fall of its own weight into one of its operating positions, and having means therein for controlling the time interval of the opening and closing of the circuit therethrough, a solenoid for moving said switch into the o posite operating position, said solenoid being connected in series with said switch, current supply leads for said switch andsolenoid circuit, and a load connected to leads from the switch-solenoid circuit.

2. In a switching apparatus, a single circuit time delay switch of the liquid flow type pivoted to fall of its own weight into one of its operating positions, and having means therein for controlling the time interval of the opening and closing of the'circ lit therethrough, a solenoid for moving said swticn 4 lifiQLMfi into the opposite operating position, said solenoid being connected in series with said switch, a current supply for said switch and solenoid, and a load in series with said switch.

3. In a switching apparatus, a single circuit time delay switch of the liquid flow type pivoted to fall of its.0wn weight into one of its operating positions, and having means therein .for controlling the time interval of the opening and closing of the circuit therethrough, a solenoid for moving said switch into the opposite operating position, said solenoid being connected in series with said 1 switch, a current supply for said switch and 15 solenoid circuit, and a load in parallel with said solenoid.v

Signed at Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, this 24th day of November, A. D. 1924.

20 WARREN R. WALKER; 

